Chemin Vert

Update July 2015:
As of today, Youtube allows to see an immersive version of Chemin Vert out of the box. If you are mobile, you will need to load the video through the native app. Make sure to pick the best resolution (1440p).

Chemin Vert is an immersive video of a trip on the road at supersonic speed spanning across five continents and four seasons. The title “Chemin Vert” refers to its soundtrack from musician A Ghost Train. The video exists in two forms: an immersive version and a “regular” video you can see on vimeo.

The bone shattering speed simulated is roughly over 1500 km/h (that’s close to 1000 mph, you imperialists). The whole concept is the visualization of one of my childhood fantasies, riding a rocket launched at full speed just above the ground of a long road.

Chemin Vert has been brewing over a few years. Different techniques were employed in the beginning, involving long trips on the road across Europe while shooting time lapse videos on the go. Back then the scope of the project was substantially different, concentrating more on the augmentation (as in augmented-reality) of landscapes. At a certain point the focus was shifted on the aesthetic qualities of the landscapes and on the immersive factor. In the final version of Chemin Vert the original footage comes from Google Street View, without which this project wouldn’t have been possible. Thanks Google. Thoogle.

The original version of Chemin Vert as immersive, interactive video can be appreciated at its fullest resolution here. The ultimate form of Chemin Vert is still waiting to be built: an installation as a full dome projection.